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The punch was so fierce and powerful that it sent a chill down the spines of the other six disciples watching from below the stage.
They all felt that if they had faced Xu Taiping earlier, victory would have been impossible.
"Boom…"
However, as Xu Taiping raised his fist to deliver the final, one hundred and eighth punch, the previous one hundred and seven punches were instantly forgotten.
For the mere act of lifting his fist had whipped up a ferocious gale on the stage.
The disciples from the various sects on the Cloud Pavilion were all shocked.
Many among them could probably throw a punch with more force and presence than Xu Taiping, but that didn't stop them from being awed by the punch he was about to deliver.
In that young man's punch, they sensed an aroma of extremity.
The extremity of physical refinement, the extremity of the Green Bull Fist, the extremity of the White Spirit Bone.
Any true cultivator knew that once someone reached an extremity in something, the next step was either a fall back to the bottom or a transformation into something greater.
"I once heard my master say that only by pushing the techniques and spells one can master to the pinnacle can one carve a path to the heavens for their cultivation journey."
As Xu Ziyan watched Xu Taiping ready his final punch, she suddenly remembered what her master had told her.
She had always thought it was just a comforting word from her master to encourage her, who possessed the talent of the Xuan Bone.
But at that moment, she felt that it might not have been mere consolation; perhaps her master had met someone like the young man before her, which was why he said it.
"The Pinnacle Extremity…"
Suddenly, Xu Ziyan's body began to tremble with excitement, eager to witness the legendary pinnacle.
"Xu Taiping, that's enough!"
But just then.
From the largest Cloud Pavilion opposite, the cold but authoritative voice of the sect leader suddenly rang out.
Clearly, even though Ye Xuan had been defeated, he didn't want to lose a disciple with the Golden Spirit Bone to the Qingxuan Sect.
But Xu Taiping had no intention of obeying.
He saw the hatred and murderous intent in Ye Xuan's eyes.
The two had never met before, yet Ye Xuan harbored such intense murderous intent towards him; it was clear that after this match, it would be a fight to the death between them.
Moreover, Xu Taiping didn't believe in karma, but he sensed an aroma of "destined foe" from Ye Xuan.
More importantly, he vaguely felt that this last punch was crucial for him.
He believed that as long as he threw this punch, his understanding of the Green Bull Fist and the path of cultivation would reach a new peak, and he might even touch the extremity that Sister Lingyue spoke of.
On the contrary, if he couldn't throw this punch.
Then his Dao heart would surely be tainted, and he might never recover.
He naturally didn't want to take that risk, after all, he had a long journey ahead.
"Lose one's true self, lose everything."
"People may insult me, deceive me, but they must never harm my true self."
"Worst case, I'll just give up being an Inner Disciple, leave the Qingxuan Sect."
As thoughts raced through Xu Taiping's mind, his resolve grew firmer, his punch more focused, and its momentum even more formidable.
It was as if he had been unshackled.
"Rumble…"
With an explosive sound, Xu Taiping suddenly opened all his body's acupoints, mobilizing his blood and energy, circulating all the true essence in his energy sea, and with all his might, he smashed his fist towards Ye Xuan.
"How dare you!"
And in the instant his fist fell, a sword cry "zing" exploded above the Sword Control Platform, followed by a gleaming flying sword that shot through the air, blocking above Ye Xuan's head.
The immense and majestic pressure from the flying sword was like a fierce blow, striking Xu Taiping's chest, causing his blood to surge backward, his breath to churn, and his bones to crackle.
But even so, Xu Taiping's gaze remained unwavering, his punch steady.
At this moment, it didn't matter whether it was Ye Xuan or the flying sword in front of him.
He just wanted to throw this punch, to shatter everything he could see before him.
Then, without any hesitation, his fist heavily struck the gleaming flying sword blocking Ye Xuan.
"Bang!!!"
A piercing metallic resonance, mixed with the sound of an explosion, stabbed into everyone's ears like needles.
Some cultivators with lower cultivation levels, like the Outer Disciples below the stage, were even knocked unconscious by the sound, bleeding from their ears.
Xu Taiping fared worse.
Even though he threw the punch with all his might, it only caused the sect leader's flying sword to tremble slightly.
The rebounding force from the sword, along with the piercing sword intent pouring out of it, almost instantly shattered his Xuan Ice Armor, then tore the flesh on his arm, revealing blue tendons, white bones, and crimson blood.
Then, the massive impact sent Xu Taiping flying backward.
"Thud!"
His body heavily fell on the edge of the stage.
"Spit!"
Lying on the ground, Xu Taiping vomited blood.
He could feel the sword qi from the flying sword invading his internal organs; if not for the relentless physical training over the past two years, his organs would have likely turned into a mess of flesh by now.
But lying there, Xu Taiping smiled.
Because the sound of his fist hitting the flying sword was more beautiful to his ears than any fairy music.
It was as if a young antelope had leaped over a ravine for the first time, or the waves stirred when rivers met the sea, or the final hammer strike when the Heavenly Emperor forged a divine weapon.
Guided by this fairy-like collision sound, he found a narrow but bright path in his mist-filled journey to immortality.
Walking down this path, he even glimpsed a mountain peak in a daze—a towering peak piercing the clouds, a peak named the Heavenly Dao.
Though he was still as insignificant as an ant at the foot of the mountain, he had seen it.
He, a man with Mortal Bones, had finally seen the same mountain as those born with Spiritual Bones.
"I, a mere man of Mortal Bones, have I finally seen that mountain just like them?"
Xu Taiping smiled again.
"Grandfather, the view from that mountain must be beautiful. I, your grandson, will definitely go up there for you."
Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, Xu Taiping murmured to himself.
With eyes full of hope, he propped himself up with one hand, struggling to rise.